I was having an interesting conversation with a good (Korean) friend of mine and we kind of drifted into talking about Korean perceptions of all things foreign here. I asked her about what many Koreans thought about foreign English teacher and her answer kind of surprised me. She straight up told me that many of them see foreign English teachers as incompetent, lazy and unable to get a job back in their home country. So, they come to Korea...

I asked her that if that is the only reason they come here what does that say about Korea....but it didn't seem to register.

I don't know, I've always gotten the impression that although I'm somewhat low on the totem pole here, most people seem to give me a good amount of respect when I'm out and about (perhaps not in the workplace but that is a different story).

Do many Koreans really see the foreigners teaching English here that way????

She straight up told me that many of them see foreign English teachers as incompetent, lazy and unable to get a job back in their home country

There is often a bit of racism in this answer but don't worry there are plenty of wonderful Koreans out there that do respect what we are doing. My Korean co-workers always tell me how they can't believe the energy, and great lesson plans the foreign teachers in Korea have. One of my co-teachers told me today how she has learned so much from me. She is 40 years old and has been teaching for 15 years! But teachers in general are a easy group to be picked on, specially back in our home countries. We don't carry the big guns.

Last edited by No_hite_pls on Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:00 pm; edited 3 times in total

The women are generally more open and less angry about us dirty foreigners being here than the men. If you work at a hagwon, don't expect to garner much respect when you tell people what you do. But, it's not all that bad... there are a lot of people here who are willing to buy you lunch/dinner and pay you $50 just to talk with them for an hour. That's respect.

As someone working outside the education sphere, let me tell you, this sentiment is pretty universal.

Since i'm considered to be a "professional" in this country, my colleagues have no filter when discussing this subject. I've yet to talk to one who has a positive thing to say about english teachers. The multitude of articles and exposť's over the years have made a serious dent in public consciousness contrary to the "tempest in a teapot" defense most here like to wrap themselves in to stay warm.

Most of my young (20-30s) Korean friends are surprised that all you need is any degree to get a teaching position. They were under the idea that it was a somewhat more difficult process to become a teacher. But, none of them look down on them.

Most of my young (20-30s) Korean friends are surprised that all you need is any degree to get a teaching position. They were under the idea that it was a somewhat more difficult process to become a teacher. But, none of them look down on them.

I would say there is more negative stereotypes about english teachers amongst non-esl foreigners in Korea than amongst Koreans.

Millions of Koreans spend a lot of money on sending their kids to be taught by the waygook. Why would they do that if they thought we were incompetent and/or lazy?

I also dont understand the 'can't get a job back home' line, whilst the truly gucci jobs are indeed difficult to get back in the home country. It is not difficult to find a run of the mill 18-20k GBP office monkey job for a grad.

I wouldn't respect the opinion of anyone who said they or their friends thought people in my occupation were all of those things. How utterly rude and insensitive.

I'm sure there is a small minority who just don't like there being foreigners, who have all been vetted for criminal records and disease, in their country - you get racists everywhere - just as you get Koreans welcoming us with open arms and inviting us to drink and/or eat with them.

There will be some antagonism and favoritism to foreigners in Korea, recent and not-so-recent history has ensured that, but who cares what the colleague of a friend of some guy on Dave's thinks? Life's too short.

i once had a korean ask me, strangely enough, what americans thought about canadians.

i told them that americans think canadians spend all day sitting around their homes getting drunk off maple moonshine and trying to figure out how best to ride the abundance of wildlife in their backyard forests.

but who cares what the colleague of a friend of some guy on Dave's thinks? Life's too short.

Apathy now.

Ya, I guess you just don't get it. I'll assume your post is referencing my post above. It's not a friend i'm speaking of, it's my colleagues whom i've spoken to face-to-face on numerous occasions. They represent a decent cross section of Korean society -- males and females, graduates from universities of varying reputability, VP level down to secretaries. They all parrot the talking points the korean media have been blasting the public with for a decade now.

"They are all losers"
"They can't get a job back home"
"They are only here to take advantage of Korean girls"
"I really hate English Teachers"

The last one is the most common one I hear.

A lot of my best friends in this country are teaching english and are good people so I do my best to deflect or persuade when I hear this rhetoric. Never with any success.
I just find it quizzical that when the media brazenly craps all over you, there is an outspoken majority exclaiming that its a "tempest in a teapot" and will blow over. Clearly that's not the case, sorry. People in this country ARE influenced, quite extensively, by the media.

Don't mistake "cultural sensitivity" (whatever that even means) with apathy.